There are believed to be yaw rate sensors of this type. For example, a yaw rate sensor having a first and a second oscillating mass is discussed in German patent publication DE 195 19 488 A1, in which the first and the second oscillating masses each being excited to a working oscillation with the aid of an excitation arrangement, a first Coriolis deflection of the first oscillating mass and a second Coriolis deflection of the second oscillating mass each being detected with the aid of evaluation means and differentially evaluated in a suitable manner for the purpose of determining a yaw rate. The sensor is a so-called active sensor, since the first and second oscillating masses must be continuously excited to working oscillation for the purpose of measuring the Coriolis deflections. The yaw rate sensor therefore consumes power even if no yaw rate to be measured is present.